Oceanography 101

Field Trip to low tide, Alki at Beach Drive

When

Choose either (or both!)

Saturday, June 4 : Low tide at 1:16 pm, -2.4 ft tide

Sunday, June 5 : Low tide at 1:58 pm, -2 ft tide (Instructor will be there this day around 11:30 am).

It is best to explore tide pools during the ebb tide (as the water is leaving the beach and approaching the low tide line). This means animals are closest to the surface and haven’t completely burrowed into the sand awaiting the next high tide, 6 hours later. You can arrive at any time before the low tide, ideally about an hour before low tide.

Where

At Alki beach, there are 3 ramps that lead to the beach. As you face the water from Beach Drive, one ramp is on the far right, right next to a residence. In the middle (across the street from brick building that is water treatment plant) is one that has no drift logs blocking it; so that's the easiest way on to the beach. At the far left (south) is a ramp that goes by a nice wall with artwork. There is some drift wood at the foot of this ramp so you have to scramble a bit. This ramp is the closest to the spot where we'll look at organisms.

Driving to Alki (you can also use “63rd Ave SW and Beach Drive SW,Seattle” to map this online and get directions from your house.

  1. Take West Seattle Freeway
  2. Exit to Admiral Way
  3. Stay on Admiral Way to 63rd Ave SW – stop sign
  4. Go left on 63rd to Beach Drive
  5. Park at end of 63rd or on Beach Dr.

What

Tidepooling is a fantastic way to become more familiar with marine organisms. The Pacific Northwest has an incredible diversity of coastal organisms. Some we are likely to find include:

Mollusks: limpets, chitons, mussels, snails (moon snail collars (egg cases)), jingle shells, clam shells, nudibranchs (sea slugs)

Cnidarians: anemones, sea pens

Echinoderms: sea stars, sand dollars

Arthropods: sand fleas, isopods(relatives of pill bugs but dorso-ventrally flattened), barnacles, crabs: several types

Fish: gunnels, cling fish, tide pool sculpins

Worms: tube worms, flat worms

Seaweed: green, brown, red

How

Tidepooling is not a fashion show. Wear comfortable shoesthat you don't care about (or boots) since your feet will get wet and the rocks are slippery. Dress warm! No fashion footwear! Plan to stay for at least an hour or more.

Tidepooling etiquette:

Keep in mind that these organisms are fragile! They are used to being covered with water and do not appreciate your prodding and poking.

Use the one finger rule for touching marine organisms. Be gentle!

Try to limit how much walking you do on the beach.

If you pick up a rock or log – put it back exactly how you found it! Exposing some little critter when he/she wasn’t before probably means desiccation and becoming lunch for a hungry seagull.

Plants are alive, too! Be nice to marine algae.

Oceanography 101

Field Trip to low tide, Alki at Beach Drive

When

Choose either (or both!)

Saturday, June 4 : Low tide at 1:16 pm, -2.4 ft tide

Sunday, June 5 : Low tide at 1:58 pm, -2 ft tide (Instructor will be there this day around 11:30 am).

It is best to explore tide pools during the ebb tide (as the water is leaving the beach and approaching the low tide line). This means animals are closest to the surface and haven’t completely burrowed into the sand awaiting the next high tide, 6 hours later. You can arrive at any time before the low tide, ideally about an hour before low tide.

Where

At Alki beach, there are 3 ramps that lead to the beach. As you face the water from Beach Drive, one ramp is on the far right, right next to a residence. In the middle (across the street from brick building that is water treatment plant) is one that has no drift logs blocking it; so that's the easiest way on to the beach. At the far left (south) is a ramp that goes by a nice wall with artwork. There is some drift wood at the foot of this ramp so you have to scramble a bit. This ramp is the closest to the spot where we'll look at organisms.

Driving to Alki (you can also use “63rd Ave SW and Beach Drive SW,Seattle” to map this online and get directions from your house.

  1. Take West Seattle Freeway
  2. Exit to Admiral Way
  3. Stay on Admiral Way to 63rd Ave SW – stop sign
  4. Go left on 63rd to Beach Drive
  5. Park at end of 63rd or on Beach Dr.

What

Tidepooling is a fantastic way to become more familiar with marine organisms. The Pacific Northwest has an incredible diversity of coastal organisms. Some we are likely to find include:

Mollusks: limpets, chitons, mussels, snails (moon snail collars (egg cases)), jingle shells, clam shells, nudibranchs (sea slugs)

Cnidarians: anemones, sea pens

Echinoderms: sea stars, sand dollars

Arthropods: sand fleas, isopods(relatives of pill bugs but dorso-ventrally flattened), barnacles, crabs: several types

Fish: gunnels, cling fish, tide pool sculpins

Worms: tube worms, flat worms

Seaweed: green, brown, red

How

Tidepooling is not a fashion show. Wear comfortable shoesthat you don't care about (or boots) since your feet will get wet and the rocks are slippery. Dress warm! No fashion footwear! Plan to stay for at least an hour or more.

Tidepooling etiquette:

Keep in mind that these organisms are fragile! They are used to being covered with water and do not appreciate your prodding and poking.

Use the one finger rule for touching marine organisms. Be gentle!

Try to limit how much walking you do on the beach.

If you pick up a rock or log – put it back exactly how you found it! Exposing some little critter when he/she wasn’t before probably means desiccation and becoming lunch for a hungry seagull.

Plants are alive, too! Be nice to marine algae.